The Trials of Hallac- Part II: The Dead

Now, to my shock, the rocks did move!
The stones I had set as my walls
Were lifting of their own accord,
Floating back out into the street!
Once a large enough hole opened
In my structure, I followed one,
Back to the streets, where it did settle in the place whence I’d brought it!
All the stones were moving thus, back to their original places,
As if protesting having been taken in the first of places.
No move to harm me did any
Of these seemingly bewitched stones
Make, so I had no fear from them.
Walked I back to my now-bare place
In the corner of the building.

Outside, the red light from sunset
Faded to pink, deepest dark pink,
Then to the blackness of nighttime.
Stars came out that I could see ‘tween the cracks of my walls and the roof,
Twinkling ‘round a full blood moon.
In that orangey blood moonlight,
As it shone, penetrating all,
Came into my sight suddenly
Ghostly shapes, outlined by twilight.
These were people, men and women,
Children some, too, that saw me not
Or seemed not to see me at all
Who were moving the stones, lifting
And carrying them back to their places in the streets and by walls.
These translucent folk were many,
As many as filled a city,
Some dressed finely, some as craftsmen;
The nobles and peasants all told
Walked the streets, moving the rubble.

I stayed frozen in my corner,
Watching these ghostly-clear people
Passing by my door, doing work,
Remaining well out of their way.
Even when the thick, dusty air
Tickled my nose and made me sneeze,
And I made a loud noise and moved
With the violence of that act,
No notice of me did they take.
Thinking myself safe from these folk,
I grew bold again and went out
Walking among them in the streets,
Watching them do their work,
But still keeping out of their ways.
By the light of that full blood moon,
Hundreds of them did I see there,
Ghostly men in aprons, in hats,
Women in shawls with layered skirts,
Children barefoot, too, in the throng.
All walked soberly, moving stones
Back in place, even pebbles.
Some were ushering even the wind-kicked-up dust back to its place.

The moon went its path through the sky
As I walked around the city,
Watching the people at their work.
All through the streets I was ignored
By all I passed as I observed
Them putting the city to rights.
Even the ruins need guardsmen--
I supposed guardsmen these folk were--
And did they their job very well.
I circuited the city walls,
Ending once again back at the building where I’d claimed my corner.
Once I looked in there, the last of the stones I’d moved was being brought
Back to the spot where it belonged.
Watched I as the man bearing it
Trod down a rock-paved alleyway
And set it down quite gingerly.
At the moment the masonry
Settled into its correct place,
A collective, loud gasp sounded
From the mouths of those around me.
Spun each one of them to face me,
And all eyes landed upon me.
Their gazes did seem to pierce me,
Penetrating to my soul’s core,
Freezing the deepest part of me
‘Til I felt that I could not move.